Gulf Construction Online - Terex supports work at limestone quarry

UAE Focus

The TR100 dumptrucks at work at the Stevin Rock site.

Terex supports work at limestone quarry

01 July 2013

TEREX Construction has supplied 10 TR100 rigid dumptrucks to support work at Ras Al Khaimah quarry.

The site, the largest limestone quarry in the Middle East, had already added 10 of the 91-tonne capacity trucks to its fleet late last year, which are working at its sister quarry, Stevin Rock. The government-owned company runs more than 250 machines at the Ras Al Khaimah site, which includes 38 Terex TR100 rigid trucks, plus 20 of the previous 3311 and 33100 models.

“We’ve got a big fleet of Terex trucks and that was a major factor in the decision to buy the new TR100s,” said technical and operations manager Simon Turner. “The equipment was partly fleet expansion, along with an element of fleet renewal. We work 24/7, 365 days a year and working hours on a machine can easily reach 7,000 hours per year.”

The quarry reaches 800 m into the mountains behind Ras Al Khaimah, with more than 20 active digging benches and up to 30 km of quarry face. The lowest working area is 40 m above sea level and the highest up to 450 m above that. Using computer-aided design, geophysical drilling and laser profiling, the experienced quarry team carries out blasting six days a week, with more than 120,000 tonnes of material being excavated each day.

A mix of wheel loaders and crawler excavators load the limestone into a fleet of 110 rigid dumptrucks, that carry the material to a range of crushers, screens and finally to Stevin’s own nine-berth all-weather harbour. Up to 70 per cent of the material is exported throughout the Middle East and to the Indian steel industry.

The new Terex trucks are certainly playing a part in the improved efficiency and productivity that is being achieved, according to Turner.

“We’ve done a lot of time cycle analysis to see where improvements can be made. We’re also looking at excessive truck idling and correct positioning for better efficiency. We look at everything from an efficiency point of view now,” said Turner.

“Having the new trucks has certainly helped in our understanding of maintenance of the new systems too,” he added.

The TR100 is the largest rigid dumptruck in the five-model Terex line-up. With a heaped capacity of 57 cu m, the 91-tonne payload truck is powered by a 1,050 hp (783 kW) Cummins KTA38-C engine. This drives through an efficient Allison six-speed automatic, electronically-controlled transmission, featuring the CEC 2 management programme. Automatic lock-up is available in all speed ranges, improving fuel efficiency and aiding productivity on site.

The TR100 features rugged construction and durable components that are designed for excellent service life. Dual-retardation systems allow the operator to use both oil-cooled disc brakes and a hydrodynamic retarder which contributes to fast, safe haul times. It delivers class-leading rimpull for exceptional hauling capability in all operating conditions.